Jill Carroll Was Under Duress

Now that she is finally free at the Ramstein Air Base, Jill Carroll has released a statement. The key points are that she was still a captive when she made the anti-U.S. video statement; when interviewed by a Sunni politician she had been told the video would not be shown and that she still felt unsafe and said what she thought it safe to say; the facts are that she was threatened repeatedly by her captors.

Things that I was forced to say while captive are now being taken by some as an accurate reflection of my personal views. They are not. The people who kidnapped me and murdered Alan Enwiya are criminals, at best. They robbed Alan of his life and devastated his family. They put me, my family and my friends--and all those around the world, who have prayed so fervently for my release--through a horrific experience. I was, and remain, deeply angry with the people who did this.

She asks for and deserves some period of peace and quiet. Those in the blogosphere who jumped all over her as a traitor or, at best Stockholm Syndrome victim, should be ashamed. I can't imagine anyone on their way out of a lengthy captivity who wouldn't say whatever her captors or their supporters wanted until they were absolutely certain of their safety.